Stimulus money given to other states, Durbin wants it for Illinois high-speed rail

Alex Keefe, WBEZ / St. Louis Public Radio(2010-11-11)

Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin(Bill Greenblatt/UPI)

CHICAGO(St. Louis Public Radio) -
At issue is more than $1 billion federal stimulus dollars that are supposed to help build a Midwestern high-speed rail network. But the Republican soon-to-be governors in Ohio and Wisconsin say, instead, they'll use it for other projects, such as fixing roads.

That prompted Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood this week to threaten to take the money back. Senator Durbin said that he'll try to bring it to Illinois.

"If Wisconsin doesn't want it, if Ohio doesn't want it, we have plenty of opportunities here for high-speed rail," Durbin said, "They'll regret it. In the years to come, when we have this infrastructure that's gonna serve us for generations, they'll understand how shortsighted it was."

Durbin also said, if the money's re-allocated, it could help expand Amtrak service here.